Westpac IQ

Friday edition: analysis and forecasts for this week's key releases.

Three challenging trends – demographics, technology, and expectations of government – present opportunities for Australian women. How might the federal budget support them?

Monday re-issue edition: analysis and forecasts for this week's key releases.

Escalating natural disasters are driving a new phase for sustainable finance in the real estate and healthcare sectors as investors look to adaptation and resilience.

Our Q1 2026 Sustainable Finance Market Update reviews global and Australian market activity amid continued issuance moderation. This edition explores trends across sustainable bonds and loans, highlights notable transactions from the quarter and examines developments shaping the role of sustainable finance in supporting Australia’s digital infrastructure transformation. You’ll also find the latest market news and insights from across the sustainable finance landscape.

From 1 October 2026, merchants will no longer be allowed to charge their customers a surcharge when they pay with a card. It’s part of a suite of retail payments reforms being introduced by the Reserve Bank of Australia.The changes present an opportunity for businesses to review what their own payment service provider is charging them to accept payments and ensure that they receive the full benefit of all the reforms, says Joel Lenhardt, Managing Director of Merchant Payments at Westpac.

The Australian dollar rose almost 1% last week, and starts the new week tentatively exploring 0.7200+. The Australian dollar’s gains were bested only by the Japanese yen last week, whose surge was fuelled by intervention. This encouraging Australian dollar performance was matched by repeated record highs in equities, and came despite a hawkish FOMC and threats of renewed US strikes on Iran. The week ahead is dense with important data and event risk, including the RBA and US payrolls.

The Australian dollar has started the week on the front foot, pushing back toward the 0.7200 area after a choppy end to last week. The week ahead is important, including Q1 local CPI, multiple central bank meetings, and of course ongoing high-stakes US-Iran negotiations all in focus.

Big moves in the Australian dollar on Monday mornings have become increasingly common since the US-Iran war began, and this week is no exception. After touching a new peak of 0.7222 on Friday optimism around the reopening of the Strait, the Australian dollar is back in the mid-to-low 0.71s today. This week’s data calendar is relatively light. Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh faces his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, and his framing of monetary policy in the face of an energy shock will matter for FX markets. Other events include April flash PMIs, US March retail sales and New Zealand Q1 CPI.